A Serious Question
by Fenikkusuken
Summary: COMPLETE. A summer afternoon, a wildflower-strewn meadow, a handsome swordsman at her side... so what could possibly be bothering Estelle?
1. A Serious Question

**Disclaimer: **I don't own Yuri or Estelle or anything to do with Xbox360's _Tales of Vesperia_; the nice folks at Bandai Namco do. Thanks to Veraliana for the correct info!

**A/N: **Written for the delicious Empatheia, who has exquisite taste in both video games and _bishounen_.

**Warnings:** Rampant fluff, lewd thoughts and a concern that 'size matters'.

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**A Serious Question**

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_Ahhh… blue sky, sunshine, a pretty girl… it doesn't get much better than this._ Yuri inhaled deeply and slowly exhaled as he crossed his booted ankles and leaned back on his hands. Closing his eyes, he turned his face up to the sun until ecstatic little barks and whines from Repede's direction made him crack an eye. The dog had cast aside his pipe, his dagger and his dignity as he rolled in the wildflower-strewn meadow, all four paws waving in the air. Yuri watched Repede abandon himself to doggish enjoyments for several more minutes, then took a cue from the canine and flopped onto his back into the thick green grass. Contentedly basking, he thought about nothing very taxing until a heavy sigh brought his attention to the young woman seated beside him. _She's been like this for __days__…_

Estelle heaved another deep sigh and neatly rearranged her legs underneath her voluminous skirts, absently smoothing the heavily-embroidered garment with a gloved hand. Her vivid green eyes were veiled by long dark lashes, and Yuri couldn't help but notice the provocative way she bit her lip as she pouted. His fingers twitched, wanting to soothe away her discontent… and then maybe wander into her hair before pulling her down so that he could indulge in a little lip-nibbling of his own. _Dammit! I'm as bad as that pervert Raven!_ He gave himself a mental shake. _What is it about Estelle that makes me want to find out if grass stains wash out of that white dress?_

Yuri was about to roll over onto his stomach in order to hide the hard evidence of his attraction to his companion when the rustle of fabric caught his attention. Estelle was slowly removing her gloves; he watched with interest because the young woman rarely doffed the white accessories even when she was healing someone. Her hands were slender and moon-pale, her fingers long and slim… a princess' hands. Yuri held up his own broad, tanned and calloused hand to consider the differences between them. _She handles a sword with as much skill as I do, but you'd never know it by the size of her._ He rather liked Estelle's delicate hands, and indulged himself in imagining how they would feel sliding over his skin… which inevitably led to an arousing image of him returning the favour. Yuri's glance strayed to Estelle's well-filled bodice, so blatantly adorned with suggestive curlicues of embroidery. _They'd fit perfectly in my palms… unlike Judith, who's a bit much for any one man to handle…in so many ways._

When Estelle sighed again, Yuri thanked whichever gods might be listening that she remained as clueless as ever about his carnal musings and hauled his protesting libido out of the gutter to instead focus on whatever was causing her concern. She was twisting those admired fingers together and chewing her lip to the point of blood, so he decided to intervene before he threw caution to the wind and kissed her until she couldn't remember what was bothering her. _Must be the fresh air and sunshine; what the hell's gotten into me today?_

"Estelle?" he called softly, and was utterly ignored. Smirking a little, Yuri dropped his voice into the lower register that never failed to fluster the young woman. "_Stelllllla_," he crooned; she twitched, but continued to stare at her anxiously-wringing hands. Somewhat perturbed at her lack of response, Yuri reached up and caught a silky lock of pink hair between his fingers… which sent his gleeful libido swan-diving straight back into the gutter. _I wonder where __else__ she might have short pink… argh!_ Mentally slapping himself, he gave the captured strands a gentle tug as he tried again. "A gald for your thoughts, princess?"

Estelle finally darted a quick glance in his direction before shyly ducking her head, a soft blush tinting her lovely face. Despite his earlier daydreaming, Yuri was more than a little taken aback when the young woman suddenly moved until she was leaning over him, her rosy hair haloed by sunshine and her limpid green eyes only inches above his own. Any questions he might have asked scattered like wind-blown leaves when a dainty hand slid inside the open neckline of his tunic and came to rest on his bare chest over his madly-thumping heart. Feeling oddly breathless, Yuri's eyelashes fluttered as he concentrated on the feel of those slim fingers lightly flexing against his skin.

"Estelle?" he breathed, pressing his hand over hers; she dropped her eyes and again worried her lip between her small white teeth. This time, Yuri gave into his impulses and brought up his other hand to cup her cheek, weaving his fingertips into her hair as he brushed the pad of his thumb across her moist pink mouth. "What is it?" he asked, gently squeezing her captive fingers and wondering if Repede was still in the vicinity or had taken himself off to a discreet distance to give them some privacy. _Not to mention head off Karol and the others…_ Estelle gave him an intent look as he continued to caress her cheek; she squared her narrow shoulders, her face so sweetly earnest that he had to smile. Releasing her hand, he slid his arm around her slender waist and began tugging her closer in preparation for a much-anticipated embrace.

His intentions spectacularly derailed when the object of his affections blurted out, "Yuri… do you think I'm 'bouncy'?"

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	2. A Revealing Discussion

**Disclaimer: **I don't own Yuri or Estelle (lucky for them) or Xbox360's _Tales of Vesperia_; the nice folks at Bandai Namco do.

**A/N: **To my considerable surprise,I was nicely asked for a continuation of this interlude. If you knew me _at all_, however, you'd be careful what you wish for!

**Warnings:** Gawping, ogling, glomping and dribbling.

**A Serious Question**

**Chapter Two**

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**A Revealing Discussion**

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Yuri blinked. "B-bouncy?" he stammered, his mental gear case momentarily jamming because his thoughts were decidedly occupied with moving forward into far more pleasant activities than playing twenty questions. Estelle nodded rapidly, something in her expression warning him that his answer was really, really, _really_ important… so he decided to stall. "I don't understand… 'bouncy'?"

Her fingers nervously fidgeted on his chest. "You _know_… like _Judith_."

"Like… Judith…?" His confusion plainly showed; Estelle's brave demeanour crumpled and she yanked herself away. Yuri quickly sat up and reached for her, but halted when she hunched defensively and clenched her hands in her lap. "What does _Judith_ have to do with anything?" he queried, utterly baffled as to why their friend's name had come up.

"She's so… I mean, _look_ at her! She's curvy and bouncy… and… and you… er, you _guys_ can't keep your eyes off her!" Estelle's voice became quieter and smaller until she mumbled, "I just wish that _I _was bouncy too, so then maybe…"

Yuri ran his hand through his bangs as he huffed in frustration. _Agh!_ _How'm I supposed to answer this? _A teeny-tiny light clicked 'on' in a corner of his brain. _She thinks that I like Judith because of her… tch._ He couldn't help shaking his head; Estelle completely misinterpreted his actions. She slumped for a moment, then began desperately pulling at the fastenings of her bodice. As more than a few erotic dreams were acted out right in front of him, Yuri's mouth dropped open and his throat went dry while his libido began turning handsprings. _Oh, this is __bad__… really bad… really, really… __really__... bad…_He couldn't tear his eyes away from the delicate notch at the base of her throat, or the lovely shadowed curves of her bosom. _I really should stop her… I __really__ should… maybe just __one__ more button…?_

"If I, um, changed my outfit to something more like Judith's, then maybe I'd be more, er, bouncy and, um... what do _you _think?" Estelle asked with endearing shyness even as she pushed the loosened neckline of her dress off her slender shoulders and came perilously close to displaying far more of her feminine assets than the scantily-clad Krityan _ever_ had.

Yuri stared at Estelle's cleavage, completely at a loss for words, until he noticed the way her hands trembled as they clutched the fabric right below her breasts. The young woman's cheeks were nearly the same shade of pink as her hair and she was again biting her lip as she awaited his verdict with a bowed head… and with sudden clarity, he _knew_ the correct answer. Reaching for Estelle's hands, Yuri clasped both of them between his own and gently squeezed. When she peered at him through her bangs, he kissed her knuckles while smiling quietly. "_I_ think that your outfit is already perfect, and that you're definitely 'bouncy' enough… for me."

There was a heartbeat before Estelle broke out into a brilliant smile and in the heartbeat after that she flung herself at him. Yuri barely noticed the impact when his head collided with the ground, because her nearly-naked breasts were pressed against the bare skin of his chest where his tunic had gaped open and he was consumed by the intimacy of the sensations. _Oh, gods… I really __shouldn't__ let this happen…_ As Estelle bubbled her happiness into his throat, her lips brushed against his skin and left him trembling; he was achingly aware of the way she innocently pressed her body against his. _What the hell; you only live once… because Flynn's gonna kill me __for sure__ when he finds out!_

When he wrapped his arms around her in a fierce hug, Estelle stilled; Yuri felt her long eyelashes fluttering against his skin before she raised her head. Tightening his grip, he waited for her response much like she had earlier waited for his. When her gaze lowered and she moved in, obviously intending to kiss his cheek, Yuri acted before he changed his mind and quickly turned his head so that her soft lips ended up pressing against the corner of his mouth instead of more neutral territory. When she didn't pull away, only peeked through her lashes to judge his reaction, he skimmed his hand up her back and over the rumpled folds of her dress. Trailing his fingertips over the bare skin of her shoulders and nape, grinning crookedly as she shivered from his touch, he slid his hand into her hair. Cupping the back of her head, he angled her mouth against his and set about kissing her slowly and thoroughly until they were both breathless.

She was hazy-eyed when they parted, her cheeks flushed becomingly. Yuri admired her soft, kiss-swollen mouth as he firmly pressed her against him, unable to hide the physical effects of their intimate position. Estelle blushed even more rosy, and he was just wondering exactly how much the young mage had possibly 'enlightened' the princess as to relations between men and women when something warm slowly dribbled down his cheek. Estelle reared back, concern writ large on her expressive face. "Yuri! Why is your nose bleeding?"

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	3. An Inspired Answer

**Disclaimer: **I wish I owned Yuri, but unfortunately for _moi_, the nice folks at Bandai Namco do and they refuse to share.

**A/N: **With many thanks to Empatheia for her suggestions.The final instalment of this summer-afternoon interlude; thanks for letting me play in the _Vesperia_ fandom!

**Warnings:** Snuggling, smooching, snogging and an unfortunate case of _caninus interruptus_.

**A Serious Question**

**Chapter Three**

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**A Complete Answer**

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Yuri decided that keeping his mouth shut was the safest response as Estelle's hand began to glow; the swordsman closed his eyes while the gentle warmth penetrated his skin. _How embarrassing; if this happens every time I kiss her…never mind anything else… I'll end up anaemic! _ Gentle fingers wiped away the blood, and then a series of feather-light kisses more than made up for the embarrassment.

When he finally looked up at her, the tender expression on her face made his throat go dry again. Tightening his arms around her, Yuri slowly rolled both of them over until the young woman lay beneath him, wide-eyed, tense and scarcely breathing. _Crap… don't want to scare her!_ Instead, he eased alongside her, keeping open the invitation for closer contact. Estelle regarded him from beneath her lashes for a long moment, then shifted onto her side. Keeping a close eye on her reactions, Yuri edged closer until they were pressed lightly together the length of their bodies… and she was blushing prettily.

_She's just so damned cute. _He nuzzled, then kissed her forehead; she tilted up her face in invitation, and he took it, losing himself in the heated sweetness of her mouth when she shyly parted her lips. When her hand slipped inside the collar of his tunic and came to rest on the crook of his neck, her thumb rubbing lightly along his collarbone, he took that as permission to explore. Kissing her dainty pointed chin, he nibbled along her jaw before venturing down the side of her slender throat until he struck a spot that made her fingers tighten and her breathing hitch. Yuri paid attention to that sensitive patch of skin until Estelle murmured his name in a throaty whisper that sent shivers down his spine.

Consumed by her needy whimpers as he followed the gently curving line of her collarbone to her bare shoulder, he was emboldened to move onto more intimate territory. Moving slowly so she couldn't mistake his intent, he shifted downward and began laying a path of kisses towards the invitingly exposed curves of her breasts. Estelle went very still, her fingers flexing against his shoulder, but she didn't push him away; instead, she seemed to be concentrating on his touch with her entire being. Yuri rubbed his cheek against her skin when she exhaled deeply, her hand sliding to the nape of his neck. Lingering, open-mouthed kisses made her arch slightly and gasp; he was struck by a sudden jolt of possessiveness. Before he studied the impulse too carefully, Yuri seized the thickly-embroidered neckline of her dress in his teeth and pulled it down even lower. Mouthing the pale skin that had never seen the light of day, he deliberately created a reddened mark that would remind Estelle for at least a day or two that they had shared this moment. _If anyone __else__ sees it, they'll know that she's spoken for_…

The heat of the sun on his back, the tang of the crushed grass and wildflowers beneath them, the taste of Estelle's warm skin and the sound of her voice all combined to push Yuri's control dangerously close to the breaking point. Burying his face in the soft curves of her chest, he crushed her against him in a near-desperate hug; Estelle's breath tickled over the shell of his ear as she sighed deeply, her free hand stroking through his hair. He listened to her heartbeat thudding for a long moment, his respect for her listing several reasons to not go any further while his libido lasciviously suggested a few other areas of exploration… until a shadow fell over his face. _Oh, you have __got__ to be kidding me…!_

Cracking one eye, he hastily clamped it shut as a rounded, smoke-belching object appeared a little too close. "Repede…?" Making sure that Estelle's bared curves were concealed, he raised his head just high enough to regard the dog with a jaundiced eye. "What's up?" In reply, Repede shifted his pipe to the other side of his mouth and puffed an aromatic cloud as he looked off into the distance, cocking his ears as if listening. It took Yuri a moment to follow the dog's line of thought because the working parts of his brain were otherwise occupied, but he finally clued in. "The others…?" Repede rolled his eyes but yipped in confirmation anyways, then strolled a short distance before sitting on his haunches with his back to the couple.

Yuri propped himself on his elbows to gaze down at Estelle, and knew he'd never, ever forget the sight of the young woman he held in his arms. Framed by the bright green grass, wildflowers peeping through her tumbled hair, her cheeks tinted the softest pink, and her eyes misty and full of yearning. "Thank you, Estelle," he whispered, a lump rising in his throat because their moment had come to an end. In reply, she tried to say something, but gave it up in favour of pulling him down for a hot, sweet kiss that he reluctantly broke when Repede gave a low woof of warning. "Come on… let's set you to rights. Don't want to give Karol a terminal case of the blushes… or Rita a reason to kick my butt." Smiling to take the sting out of his actions, Yuri broke free of her embrace and rose upright, then assisted Estelle to her feet. While she pulled her dress back into place and fastened her bodice, he ran his fingers through her pink tresses to remove the grass and flowers.

She finished with the hook-and-eyes securing the heavy embroidered outer dress, but when she started fastening the pink inner chemise, he stopped her with a gentle touch and a tender kiss. "You have such a lovely throat… don't hide it," Yuri urged, lightly brushing his fingertips down the exposed skin, which made Estelle blush even harder as she smoothed her gown with trembling hands… but she left her neckline open. "Grass stain check." Catching hold of her arm, he turned her to check the back of her clothing and discovered only a couple of faint marks. "Nothing incriminating; we're good to go," he assured as he took her hand in his and kissed her knuckles.

"Just a minute… you have flowers in your hair," Estelle managed to say, sounding oddly breathless. Yuri obligingly held still, but refused to let go of her hand while she combed his hair with her slim fingers. "There… oh, wait… missed one…" She showed him a star-like blue flower; just before she let it drop, Yuri plucked it from her palm. Brushing her hair back, he tucked the blossom into place behind her ear and stooped to kiss her one last time.

Repede barked and stretched, then came over to rub his muzzle against Estelle's skirts before bunting Yuri in the leg, smirking doggishly the entire time. He pawed at something white lying crumpled in the grass; Yuri scooped up Estelle's gloves and tucked them into his belt. Repede woofed once, then set off ahead of them across the meadow, his tail waving gently while a stream of wispy white smoke trailed along behind him. Yuri squeezed Estelle's hand as he tugged her into step with him, making it clear that he had no intention of pretending that nothing had happened. The young woman bit her lip as she considered this; Yuri had a few moments to formulate a possible answer before she cautiously asked, "Does this mean…?"

"If you'll have a scruffy swordsman with nothing to his name _except_ his sword, he's happy to be yours," Yuri replied, watching her out of the corner of his eye. Estelle instantly broke out into the sunniest smile he'd ever seen and hugged his arm, in lieu of the full-body embrace he was sure she'd rather give. At that moment, Rita and Karol appeared out of the trees just ahead of Raven and Judith, their animated chatter breaking off as soon as they saw the couple. Karol remained wide-eyed while Rita instantly adopted a suspicious scowl; Raven began stroking his stubbled chin, a grin tugging at the corners of his mouth.

Judith leaned on her trident, one fine eyebrow arching as she surveyed the cozy twosome. Noting how they had eyes only for each other, their somewhat rumpled clothing, the flower adorning Estelle's hair… the white gloves in Yuri's belt… a slow grin spread across the Krityan's face. Elbowing Raven in the ribs, she observed, "Our little princess seems a tad _bouncy_ this afternoon, don't you think?"

His smirk couldn't get any wider. "I agree… and our young Yuri has a rather noticeable _bounce_ in his step as well."

"He'll be _bouncing_, all right, if he ever makes her cry," Rita growled, meaningfully patting her scarf.

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